Mahama Adul-Bassit (3rd from right), member of the St Thomas Aquinas SHS debate team, holding the ultimate trophy. With him are Madam Harriet Tagoe (3rd from left), Managing Director, Afram Publications; Asare Konadu Yamoah (4th from right), Chairman of Ghana International Book Fair and President of the Ghana Publishers Association; Jason Nkunim Reindorf (4th from left), a member of the Aquinas debate team; Mary Gboloo-Teye (2nd from right), Head of Languages, Writers and Debaters Club, and other officials of AFRAM. Picture: ERNEST KODZI

Aquinas wins AI debate

Samuel Ohene Ewur Education Aug - 15 - 2024 , 09:57 3 minutes read

St Thomas Aquinas Senior High School (SHS) defeated three other schools to win the 21st Ghana International Book Fair (GIBF) schools debate in Accra last Thursday.

Aburi Girls SHS finished in second place, Presbyterian Boys SHS finished in third place, while West Africa SHS finished in fourth place at this year’s edition of the annual event.

The competition was co-organised by the Ghana Publishers Association and Afram Publications. The topic for the debate was "AI will redefine what it means to be human".

The competition unfolded in two stages, with St Thomas Aquinas SHS defeating West Africa SHS in a preliminary debate to secure their place in the final, while Aburi Girls SHS overcame Presbyterian Boys SHS to also reach the final.

During the final, it ended in a tie, prompting the judges to call for a tie-breaking round. St Thomas Aquinas SHS then emerged victorious, with a three-point lead over Aburi Girls.

Debate

The debate aimed to spark critical discussion about the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on human identity, society and ethics. St Thomas Aquinas SHS, supporting the motion, contended that AI was redefining humanity by enhancing cognitive abilities, transforming work, and fostering human-AI collaboration.

They highlighted AI's capacity to process vast information, automate tasks, and simulate human interactions, thereby reshaping human experiences.

Aburi Girls SHS, opposing the motion, argued that AI could not redefine what it meant to be human as it lacked emotional intelligence, creativity, self-awareness, and moral reasoning.

They emphasised that AI was a tool designed to assist, but could not replicate the complexities of human nature.

Significance

The Chairman of the Ghana International Book Fair and President of the Ghana Publishers Association, Asare Konadu Yamoah, said the debate aimed to build the confidence of the students.

He said exposing students to debates would remove the fear of public speaking and develop their communication skills.

"We are doing this to enrich their knowledge, enrich the interactions among the schools and, of course, to give them that confidence in public speaking," he explained.

The Managing Director of Afram Publications, Harriet Tagoe, said it was important to maintain a reading culture throughout different life stages.

"At the lower level, you get a lot of people who read. But as we grow, challenges arise and we stop reading. "By giving books personally and for libraries, we hope to encourage reading and improve language skills," Ms Tagoe emphasised.

She also noted that Afram Publications’ partnership with Ghana Publishers Association aligned with the broader mission to enrich Ghana's literary landscape and encourage continuous engagement with reading among students.